FHS, BEA earn 5 academic all-state spots

While Brown, Roggow and Ruen played key roles in guiding the Fairmont Cardinal football team to an 8-3 overall record and an appearance in the Class 3A state quarterfinals, Franta and Sanders proved integral contributors behind the Blue Earth Area Buc gridders’ 6-4 mark and a sectional quarterfinal victory this fall.

All five standouts also generated outstanding individual numbers throughout their prep gridiron careers, but the area fivesome has achieved even more impressive numbers in the classroom.

Ruen, Roggow and Brown each have compiled 4.0 GPAs to rank in the top five of Fairmont’s Class of 2014, while Sanders and Franta have produced GPAs of 4.020 and 3.963 to rank first and seventh, respectively, among current Blue Earth Area seniors.

Even more prolific is the fact that these South Central Conference student-athletes have merited five of only 16 spots on this year’s Minnesota State Football Coaches Association’s Class 3A academic all-state team.

“They’re great leaders on and off the football field, and a big reason why our school has had such great success across the board during their tenures here,” said Fairmont head football coach and activities administrator Mat Mahoney.

“They’re quality student-athletes who we’re proud to have represent our school and community in earning such an honor,” said Blue Earth Area head football coach Randy Kuechenmeister.

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More postseason football accolades.

Ruen and Roggow join Fairmont teammates Luke Becker, Spencer Chirpich and Tim Tow, while Franta joins Blue Earth Area teammates Gus Phillips and Seth Anderson as members of the 2013 all-South Central Conference first team for their efforts on the prep gridiron.

Josh Eversman and Kory Brown received honorable mention status for the Cardinals, while Greg Claeys did likewise for the Bucs.

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Netting top honors.

Fairmont senior standouts Aubrey Green, Missy Viesselman, Briana Gratz and Andrea Carstensen each earned spots on the Class A girls tennis academic all-state team for their lofty GPAs this fall.